Economic Development in Africa Report 2024. Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential: Boosting Regional Markets and Reducing Risks

Economic Development in Africa Report 2024. Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential: Boosting Regional Markets and Reducing Risks

New York (New York - USA): United Nations (UN), 2025.

English
French
Spanish
Arabic
Chinese

180 p.

978-92-1-003413-5

1990-5114

The report examines how African economies can strengthen resilience to trade risks caused by interconnected shocks across political, economic, energy, technological and climate fronts. Cascading global crises, including COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, has hit African economies hard. Reliance on foreign markets, volatile commodity exports, high debt and weak infrastructure have deepened the continent’s vulnerabilities. Using a new framework, the report analyses the continent’s vulnerabilities across six areas: economic, governance, connectivity, social, energy and climate. It underscores the urgent need to diversify economies, integrate high-value supply chains and improve business conditions, especially for smaller firms. The report calls for stronger intra-African trade, strategic investments in transport and technology infrastructure, bolder economic reforms and better use of innovative financial tools. It provides a blueprint to reduce dependence on external markets, expand regional trade networks and leverage the continent’s young population, abundant resources and growing markets to unlock the $3.4 trillion potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Electronic ed.
Full Report only available in English and French.

Public

REF 089.2024

Full Report (English)
Overview (English)
Full Report (French)
Overview (French)
Overview (Spanish)
Overview (Arabic)
Overview (Chinese)

English